


Nyctophobia

by ParadiseIsntPerfect



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 08:31:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2501300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParadiseIsntPerfect/pseuds/ParadiseIsntPerfect
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tanith Trevelyan had never been afraid of the dark. She'd never been afraid of commitment, because there was no commitment a Circle mage could make. But that was before she'd become the Inquisitor, survived a tragedy no one else could, and before she met Knight-Commander Cullen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nyctophobia

The darkness pressed in around her. The glittering lights of the stars outside her window and the torchlight from Skyhold’s courtyard should have been a comfort, but for some reason tonight it wasn’t. Her room was dark as well, the embers in her fireplace banked for the night. Low footsteps came from right behind her and two strong arms braced their owner against the window sill on either side of her body. Tanith stared down at those hands, nervousness rising within her chest.

It wasn’t like she’d never partaken in romance before. There were a couple of other mages during her time in Ostwick’s Circle, but this was somehow different. When you were a Circle mage nothing could really be permanent, no set in stone commitments. Horrible things were lurking around the corner, too much was at stake to risk that kind of investment. But now…. Tanith was invested so deeply and she had no idea how she’d gotten here. She turned on the spot, staring up at Cullen’s face through the dim lighting of the night.

He smiled down at her, but Tanith was only more nervous at that smile. She knew he wasn’t a Templar, not any longer, not really. Certainly not a Templar in the way of those belonging to any Circle. Neither of them belonged to a Circle anymore, though she wasn’t clear on whether or not Cullen still felt he belonged to the Chantry. She didn’t think she did; she never had. And surviving the Fade, becoming Inquisitor, it all only made her more certain that she belonged to no one but herself.

Except…. Tanith looked down, away from Cullen’s gaze.

"What’s wrong?" It was such a simple question with such a complex answer.

"Cullen…I want…." Tanith sighed and she could feel him furrow his brow. The night air always seemed denser than when light was bright. "Don’t you think this is strange, somehow? I…I’m a mage, I was part of a Circle for most of my life. And you…you’re a Templar…" She trailed off, uncertain. Cullen pulled away from her then, and her body cried out for him to be close again.

"I can go," he said. It was so calm and kind, but there was something in his eyes that told Tanith that he wanted to stay. She wanted him to stay. She stared at his face then and involuntarily put her hand out, flat against his chest. Cullen lifted one of his own hands to cover hers, against the heat of his chest. She could feel his heartbeat pounding through the weight of his body against her fingertips.

"Please don’t go." To her own ears, her voice sounded small, and it matched how she felt in that moment, as though her body was a bigger vessel than her soul, the essence of herself, could fill.

"Then I won’t." Cullen moved closer again, her window frame against her back and his arms holding her tight. His lips were soft and gentle against her forehead. Tanith slipped her arms around his waist and held tight. She didn’t need anything more tonight than for him to be here, to hold her. That was enough, in the uncertain darkness, it would be enough.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if I'll turn this into a series or not, but I'll probably add more drabbles about my Inquisitors, Hawkes, and Wardens to my works. This was originally posted on my tumblr, justabrowncoatedwench.


End file.
